Key Aspects:
- Royal Caribbean has taken delivery of Legend of the Seas, after two years of construction at the Meyer Turku Shipyard in Finland.
- The handoff was marked by a ceremony in the ship’s Aquadome, attended by several Royal Caribbean Group executives, including Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty
- The ship will launch July 4, 2026 with a 7-Day Western Mediterranean sailing.
Hundreds gathered at Meyer Turku Shipyard in Finland on July 10, 2026 as Royal Caribbean took delivery of its newest ship, Legend of the Seas, ahead of the vessel’s July 2026 debut.
Legend is the third in the cruise line’s massive Icon class, preceded by Icon of the Seas in 2024 and 2025’s Best New Cruise Ship, Star of the Seas.
The occasion was marked by a handoff ceremony in the ship’s Aquadome, a hallmark feature of the Icon class.
The ceremony was attended by more than 1,200 people, including Legend’s crew members and partners, and was led by Royal Caribbean Group Chairman and CEO Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean President and CEO Michael Bayley, and Meyer Turku CEO Casimir Lindholm.
“We’re incredibly proud to introduce Legend of the Seas to vacationers and continue the legacy of the revolutionary Icon Class,” said Michael Bayley. “This wouldn’t be possible without the many talented individuals that came together to deliver what is truly the ultimate family vacation, and we look forward to making Legend’s debut this summer a legendary one.”
This ceremony marks the end of a two-year-long construction process at the Finnish shipyard, which began with a steel cutting ceremony in January 2024.
While the ship’s journey with Meyer Turku is at an end, she isn’t ready just yet. Soon, she will leave Turku for Cadiz in Spain, where Royal Caribbean will put the finishing touches on her before her official debut.
Legend of the Seas measures 1,196 feet long and weighs in at an impressive 248,663 gross tons. In 2025, she was voted the Most Anticipated Ship of 2026 by Cruise Hive readers
It’s easy to see why. The new ship offers many unique experiences to entice cruisers, including:
- 28 dining options, such as the Hollywoodland Supper Club.
- An array of entertainment, including a production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.
- Seven pools and water experiences.
- Thrilling activities such as the Crown’s Edge zipline/skywalk.
- Luxury accommodations like the three-story Ultimate Family Townhouse.
She is the fourth of Royal Caribbean’s fleet to be powered by LNG fuel and the third to be built by Meyer Turku Shipyard.
The Finnish shipyard will continue its relationship with Royal Caribbean, as they are currently constructing the fourth Icon ship, Hero of the Seas, set to debut in 2027. Three additional Icon-class ships are set to follow in 2028, 2029, and 2030.
A Legend Sets Sail
The debut of Legend of the Seas will come on July 4, 2026, a full month ahead of the originally announced date of August 2. This first sailing will be a seven-day, round-trip Western Mediterranean sailing, departing from Civitavecchia-Rome in Italy and stopping in Marseille, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, and La Spezia.
From there, she will offer similar seven-day Mediterranean itineraries from Civitavecchia and Barcelona through Autumn before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on October 25, 2026, to start her first-ever winter Caribbean season.
These Caribbean sailings range from six to eight nights, visiting destinations such as Willemstad, Curacao, Falmouth, and Labadee. Every one of these sailings will visit Royal Caribbean’s private destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
With itineraries like this, a brand new mega ship, and more on the way, it’s a good time to be a Royal Caribbean cruiser.
